Dubai: On July 14, 2020, as the Eiffel Tower in Paris was lit up with fireworks to mark the French National Day, the Arab News en Francais logo appeared on Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

This young French-language news site has joined forces with Arab News, a veteran of Saudi journalism founded in 1975.

Arab News en Francais, together with its older brother, adopted an editorial line loyal to the values ​​of inclusivity, fairness and truth, the slogan: “Beyond the differences”.

The idea of ​​the founders was to build bridges between the Arab world and France, and to contribute to the circulation of information in both directions in the wake of the rapid modernization projects led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia within the framework of the Vision 2030 agenda of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Overcoming the obstacles of ignorance and prejudice has become a mission for Arab News en Francais, beyond just reporting the news.

Shortly after its launch, this young media outlet faced a fire experience with the catastrophic explosion in the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020. Its teams, newly formed but highly adaptable, provided fast and comprehensive coverage from different angles.

Quickly capitalizing on Arab News’ partnership with YouGov, Arab News en Francais shared with its audience not only the voting intentions of Arab citizens in the US ahead of the recent presidential election but also their favorite brands on the Arab industry scene.

She also conducted a survey on integration in France entitled “How are French people of Arab descent perceived?” – which garnered record-breaking audience participation.

This poll was followed by a panel discussion of experts on the topic “Integration in France: a problem of perception or a systemic crisis? – Expert Opinion”. This coverage offered foreign readers an inside look at the sensitivities of Arab societies, ranging from politics to economics and culture.

As early as January 2021, Arab News en Francais was able to present live coverage of the Tunisian youth uprising against President Kais Saied’s failure to deliver on his economic promises. This coverage increased audience participation in Tunisia.

In October 2021, teacher Samuel Paty was murdered in Conflans-Saint-Honorine, France. Paty was beheaded by a Chechen extremist after showing his students cartoons insulting to the Prophet Muhammad as part of a lesson on freedom of expression.

Once again, Arab News en Francais has given a voice to all opinions through its coverage and editorials.

In December of the same year, Arab News en Francais covered the historic visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Saudi Arabia, which is the first step in a new journey of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, especially in culture and trade.

France, which has long been involved in the archaeological excavations taking place in Al-Ula, has also taken the lead in the tourism and cultural development of this ancient oasis, which extends over an area the size of Belgium.

This historic city, which was an important meeting point on the Incense Route more than 2,500 years ago, is today the site of a huge project under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda.

Since Macron’s visit, Arab News en Francais has closely followed the development of bilateral relations, including the two countries’ shared vision on climate change and clean energy development.

This was recently demonstrated by the joint signing of the French-Saudi cooperation roadmap on hydrogen and renewable energy on July 9, 2023.

On February 1, 2022, a tragic incident occurred in the Moroccan city of Chefchaouen, which captured global attention, especially in the Arab world. Five-year-old Ryan Oram fell into a deep well used to collect rainwater while playing in front of his house.

Arab News en Francais provided hour-by-hour updates on the rescue. Sadly, after five days of relentless effort, Ryan died before rescuers could reach him.

The outlet has covered everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to the French presidential election in April 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, to Macron’s visit to Algeria in August 2022 and Franco-Algerian reconciliation efforts.

It also covered the FIFA World Cup in Qatar from a French and Moroccan perspective, the conflict in Sudan that broke out in April 2023, and the recent protests in France after the killing of an Arab youth in the Paris suburb of Nantes by a Frenchman. Police officer.

These events allowed this news site to prove its ability to transcend differences, continually bridging the gap between Arab countries, France, and the rest of the world by expressing diverse opinions.

Culture has been a central pillar of Arab News en Francais’ mission since the beginning thanks to the privileged partnership with the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.

With nearly 300,000 French speakers identified in Saudi Arabia through the efforts of the French Embassy and Ambassador Ludovic Pouille, the driving force behind this dynamic, Arab News en Francais has gained a large readership in the Kingdom itself.

She has covered events such as the month of Francophonie and the 14th of July celebrations under the Arab sky.

Its journalists have been present at the summits of the International Organization of la Francophonie, the Cannes Film Festival, the Marrakech International Film Festival, and the Red Sea Film Festival, and have interviewed decision-makers and creators to highlight the richness of the exhibition’s artistic production. Crossroads of Cultures.

On the Arab News en Francais website, business and economics are areas of particular priority. In-depth articles allow readers to closely follow market movements, the implications of climate and geopolitical events, as well as short- and long-term prospects.

Finally, Arab News en Francais has sought to provide added value through openings from important public figures, and interviews with experts, politicians, artists, filmmakers and exhibition curators in France and throughout the Arab world.

Three years later, the result is an exponential growth of audiences in France and mainly Francophone Arab countries, demonstrating that it is possible to strengthen the bonds between these countries, communities and cultures beyond differences, with the French language serving as a beautiful catalyst.